Unexpected
by ninjasandbacon
Summary: Dan Humphrey was looking for a nanny to help take care of his motherless daughter. What he found was so much more.
1. Chapter 1

Dan Humphrey sighed as he settled into his pristine white armchair. He was exhausted and he wondered how he would get through tomorrow. Cracking open a bottle of water, he let his mind float to the 1 and a half year sleeping in the next room. Claire Ann Humphrey was Dan's daughter, an accident from one of his past relationships.

It wasn't easy taking care of her since he had no idea how to care for a baby. He was from one of the richest families in New York and he had been raised by nannies. It didn't help that her mother had taken off once Dan had paid for her post pregnancy tummy tuck.

Extracting his cell phone from his pocket, he called the 24 hour nanny service. He had contemplated calling them before, but his pride wouldn't allow him to. But then it hit him. He was a 25 year old man who had no idea how to take care of a child properly and he couldn't forever get by on his friends' help.

He quickly gave them his name and information, and was relieved to hear that they would be sending over possible candidates the following morning and was faxing a list right now. He closed the phone, slumping in his chair. Abandoning his water, he strolled to the study, ripping the paper once it was done printing. Running a hand through his hair, he looked through the list of names and pictures, not sure exactly what he was looking for.

The next morning, at exactly 5 AM, Claire started bawling, her hunger outweighing her need for sleep. Dan yawned, shuffling into her room. He picked her up gently and started rocking her as he made his way downstairs. During the walk downstairs, she had quieted, playing with her father's fingers with some strange fascination.

Setting her down in a bassinet, he moved quickly, knowing that she would erupt in tears if he was gone for too long. Pouring water into the bottle, he peeled back the lid of the powdered formula. He hated using the formula, but from day 1, Natalie hadn't allowed Claire to breast feed. It was little things like that that made Dan pissed off when he thought of his ex girlfriend.

Shaking the bottle furiously, he allowed some of the milk to drip onto his finger. Satisfied with the temperature, he wiped his finger, hurrying back to Claire. He picked her up, cradling her. He held the bottle to her mouth, letting her suckle on it.

Two hours later, Claire was asleep again and Dan, who was puked on twice, was dressed casually, ready for his nanny interviewing. At 7:30, people started arriving, gathering in the living room. Dan sighed, looking at the throng of applicants and called out the first name on the list. "Hannah Lindstrom."

Five minutes into the interview, he sent her out, rubbing his neck. "If you cannot speak English, you can leave."

He watched as more than half the crowd left, mumbling in some foreign language. Five nannies remained, looking at each other and him. "Alright, who's up next?"

"I'll go." A brunette offered, standing up and following Dan into the study. She sat down in the oak chair across from his desk. "I'm Dana Faro."

"Dana Faro?" Dan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Your surname is Lighthouse."

She nodded, blushing slightly. "Yes, I'm Italian."

"Okay, tell me about your past experiences with children."

She fidgeted in the chair, playing with the ends of her hair. "This is my first time.."

"Then I'm very sorry, but please send in the next girl on your way out."

He knew he was being unfair, but he wanted Claire to have the best. All the nannies he had had were either foreign or had very nice...assets. Girl after girl walked in, each running out in less than five minutes. Finally the last girl walked in, a folder in hand. She sat down, crossing her legs.

Dan took the folder from her, trying not to stare at her legs as he did so. "Hi, I'm Dan Humphrey. You must be.."

"Serena. Serena van der Woodsen." She extended a hand across the table, smiling. "Those are my references."

He examined the folder, flipping through it quickly. "Wow, that's quite a lot. Are you good at your job?"

"I wish I could say. With this sort of job, you're not really sure because you don't really know what the child needs until you live with them and you become accustomed to them. Its challenging most of the time, but its fun."

Dan nodded, reading one of her papers. "Why did you quit your last job?"

"The father of the child I was taking care of was very..inappropriate. I decided to remove myself from the situation."

"That sounds very wise of you."

"Thank you."

He cleared his throat, closing the folder. "Well, it seems as though you're probably the best out of everyone who was here. Don't prove me wrong, Ms. Van der Woodsen."

She smiled, knowing that it was his way of saying that she got the job. She stood up, shaking his hand again. "Thank you, Mr. Humphrey. When would you like me to move in?"

"Its Dan and as soon as possible would be great." He smiled bashfully. "I'm having trouble with my daughter, its nice to get some extra help. Oh and you will get paid every month, if thats okay with you. For a sum of.." He scribbled several large numbers onto a notepad, sliding it over to her.

"That sounds great, Mr. Hum- Dan. But is it necessary to pay me that much?"

"How about you tell me how much you want to get paid and in turn you'll take the best possible care of my daughter?"

"That sounds wonderful."

* * *

**Okay so this is a beginning to my new story and I know I shouldn't be starting new ones, but I get inspired lol. Hope you like it!**


	2. Chapter 2

Dan pushed the bed in place as Serena walked around the room, rocking Claire. She had begun moving in, but Claire had started crying right in the middle of it. "All done."

"Thanks, I could've finished later."

"Its no problem and looks like Claire's asleep." He took Claire from her, walking across the hall to the nursery. He set her down gently, kissing her forehead before closing the door.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." He walked downstairs, following the sway of her hips. He quickly shook his head, focusing on her face. "What's up?"

"Where's Claire's mother?" Serena muttered, cheeks a light pink from embarrassment. "Its okay if you don't want to talk about it or-"

"No, its fine." Dan murmured, looking down at his feet for a second. "Claire's mother decided that children weren't her forte and apparently neither was I. We split up shortly after the birth and I haven't heard from her since."

"I'm sorry, that must be really hard for you." She sat down next to him on the sofa, watching him lean back and exhale slowly.

"I don't want to see her ever again, but one day, I want her to know what she missed out on. I want her to know that leaving her daughter was the worst mistake she had ever made." He sighed, turning to her. "I'm sorry, you just moved in. I bet you don't want to hear about this."

Serena smiled, eyes twinkling. "Its actually pretty nice. I've never gotten to know my employers that well. They never bothered to talk to me, all the contact I've had is them signing the paycheck."

"That sounds horrible. I can't imagine having someone live in the same house with me and not get to know them."

"Well I didn't exactly live with most of them. Half the time, they didn't want the "poor nanny" staying and "tainting" their bed." She made air quotes with her fingers, rolling her eyes. "I was slumming it a lot."

"You see, that's what I don't like about my life. I get to live in this," he searched for a word to describe his life. "paradise. And there are people out there, barely getting by. It really sucks, but there's nothing I can do."

"So I'm your charity case now?" She said, laughing a second later to show that she was just kidding. "You're really something, Daniel Humphrey."

"I am?"

"You sure you're rich? You're too nice."

Dan smiled at her. It had been so long that someone had called him nice. "Thanks, it means a lot to know that I'm not like everyone else." He glanced at his watch, surprised when it read six. "Whoa, no wonder my stomach's been grumbling. Way past dinner time."

Serena giggled, starting to get up. But Dan reached for her, pulling her down. "You're not thinking of cooking are you?"

"Yes?"

He laughed, shaking his head. "Unless I'm not here, you'll never have to cook."

"Alright, so what do I do until you're done?"

"Whatever." He grinned, spreading his arms out. "Then again, you are living in basically a bachelor's pad. Unless, of course, you like ESPN?"

"Afraid not."

"Didn't think so." He laughed. "How about you help me?"

"I'd love to."

--

After dinner, Claire had woken up again, demanding her bottle. Serena tended to her immediately. Instead of using the formula milk Dan normally used, she heated up whole milk in a sippy cup. "When a toddler's about 1 year old, you should switch to regular milk, but you've been doing okay."

"Thank god you're here." Dan smiled and took Claire from her. He ruffled her dark brown hair lightly before setting her in the play pen. "Its just so confusing and I've learned that parenting books lie to you."

"Not all of them." Serena laughed, one eye on Claire. "Just a hefty majority."

"They'd be better off as kindling." Dan muttered, thinking of the many books that littered his study. He had bought book after book once Claire was born and Natalie had made it clear she wasn't going to stick around. And he had thought he actually loved that bitch. "So how does your boyfriend feel about you nannying for people?"

"Actually, I don't have a boyfriend. Its hard to stay in this job and have a relationship at the same time."

Dan's brows furrowed, trying to think of a reason why. "How come?"

"Well, most people who hire me, hire me for my looks. I tried having a boyfriend once, but he just got so jealous. But being single's actually nice. I think I might stay that way for a while."

"I'm sorry you're in that position." He wished that she hadn't said she might remain single. Even though it would be inappropriate, he still felt an attraction her. Something he had never felt before, not even with Natalie. "Maybe one day, you'll find someone."

"One day," she sighed, eyes flitting to Dan. By far, he was the kindest of all her employers. He didn't overstep her boundaries, made her feel safe and she felt no pressure from him at all. It didn't hurt that he was also her most attractive employer. "Until then, I have my job."

"And me." He grinned.

"And you." She added, unable to contain her giggles. "What about you? Ever think about dating?"

"Occasionally." Dan shrugged nonchalantly. "Its just too hard, you know. They hear about Claire and people freak out. And I don't want a short term relationship right now. If I were to have one, it'd be because its worth it."

"Very wise of you."

"Thanks." He grinned suddenly turning to her. "I can think of one good thing of being single though."

"I can have a pretty nanny without anyone getting jealous."

Serena blushed, heat flooding her cheeks. "I-"

"Sorry," Dan said sheepishly, turning pink as well. "Did I cross the line?"

"No, but you're bordering." She giggled, resting her hand on his shoulder for a second. "Its fine, I like compliments."

"Good because you're going to be hearing them for a while."

* * *

**Thanks for all the reviews, haven't had this much in a while. You guys are the best! **


	3. Chapter 3

Two weeks later, Dan and Serena had settled into a normal routine. Despite his attempts to stop her, he always came home with dinner on the table. She would always ignore his spiel about her being a nanny, not a cook.

On one particular night, Dan had come later than usual and was buzzed. He had been offered a glass of scotch from one of his colleagues and it seemed rude to refuse and it got harder to refuse more after the first one. He stumbled into the apartment, his briefcase swinging wildly. He dropped it ion the ground and headed for the living room where he knew Serena spent her evenings.

"Hey you," he heard her call out, her voice fading slightly as she saw him. "Are you drunk?"

"Slightly." He laughed, pulling her up. "Ooh, you smell good."

"What's wrong with you?" She snapped, pushing him back. "Dan, you have a daughter who's waiting for you!"

"I'm sorry," he slurred, tipping precariously. "Haven't had a drink in a while, 'specially scotch. Sorry."

"Its okay." She looked into his eyes, feeling slightly bad for him. Slightly. Helping him shrug off his jacket, she tried to push him onto the couch. He resisted, grabbing her shoulders. "Dan.."

He pressed his lips against hers, holding her tightly. The alcohol was clearly taking its toll on him; he would never act that way normally. She remained stock still before wrapping her arms around him, kissing him back. The tension that she had felt for the past weeks had built up to its prime. Finally, she could let it out.

He kissed her hungrily, hands roaming down her back. He pulled away and trailed kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. Her hands reached for his shirt, quickly unfastening the buttons. He reached for her shirt, pulling the hem up before she jumped back. "Dan," she said, eyes clouded with lust. She bit down on her swollen lips, trying to asses the situation. "We can't. Come on, let's get you in the shower."

She dragged him upstairs, into his bedroom and into the bathroom. Turning the shower on, she took off his remaining clothes trying not to stare. Shoving him in the shower, she turned away, biting her lip. This always happened. Whenever an employer got drunk, they would always make a move on her. Only this time, it was different. This time, she wanted it too.

——

"Ohh.." Dan groaned, struggling to sit up. He clasped a hand to his forehead, trying to reduce the throbbing. Squeezing his eyes shut, he opened them again, surprised to see Serena there. "Hey, where's Claire?"

"Her room." She held up a baby monitor, one that had live video of the baby. Rustling through the bag next to her, she held up a bagel, two aspirins and a bottle of gatorade. "Here."

"Thanks," he croaked, reaching for the items. He gulped down the pills quickly, sighing. He rubbed his forehead, looking over at her. "What happened last night?"

"Nothing," she said, averting her eyes. There was no way she was going to tell him what happened. "I called work for you and told them you have the flu."

"Thank you." He rubbed his forehead, digging into the bagel. "So did I come back totally sloshed?"

"A little."

"Hey, what's wrong?" Dan asked, concerned. Serena wasn't acting like herself and he wanted to know why.

"You kissed me." She whispered, looking away from him. "Last night, when you came back. You kissed me."

Dan closed his eyes, mentally cursing at himself. How could he have been so stupid? He completely ruined any chance of a relationship between the two of them. Professional or otherwise. "I'm so sorry about that. I was drunk. I didn't mean to."

Serena nodded, her worst fears coming to life. That was the _last _thing she wanted to hear him say. "I know." She said, voice hoarse. Clearing her throat, she stood up, smoothing out her skirt. "I'm going to go check on Claire."

"Okay." He watched her leave and couldn't help but think there was something missing.

——

"Serena," Dan murmured, disappointed when he saw her body stiffen.

"Dan," She said, detaching the bottle from Claire's lips. She put her down in the crib, watching as she shut her eyes, falling asleep immediately. "Let's talk outside."

"Hold on, let me give Claire a kiss." He walked over to the crib and leaned down, kissing his daughter's forehead. "Sleep tight. Daddy'll wake you up in a couple of hours."

He stood, following Serena outside. "You've been avoiding me."

She sighed, averting her eyes. "A little."

"You flinch when I touch you, you haven't talked to me since this morning." He sighed, shaking his head. "I know this is about the kiss and I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable, but there's nothing else I can do."

She looked up at him, blue eyes tinted with the slightest edge of hope. "Can you honestly say that the only reason you kissed me was because you were drunk?"

He stared at her, unsure of what to do or say. Finally, he cleared his throat and said the word that would change everything. "No." He stepped towards her, nervous. "I really really like you, Serena, but you work for me."

She nodded, heart breaking even further. "I understand. You already have a kid, you can't afford to cause more scandal."

"What?" He asked, confused. "I don't care what people say about me, Serena. Its just the fact that you quit your last job for what I'm doing right now and it just doesn't feel right. Besides, you probably don't feel the same way which makes it worse."

"And if I did feel the same way?"

"I still couldn't." He sighed, turning away. "What if things went wrong? What would happen to Claire?"

"I wouldn't be risking my job unless I thought we could actually get somewhere with this." She murmured, afraid to look at him. "Maybe we should just forget this."

Dan looked at her, his dark brown eyes intense. "Serena," he murmured, his voice husky. His hand met her cheek, his fingers leaving goosebumps as he lightly ran his thumb over her lips. He pressed his lips against hers, setting aside the worries he held. For tonight, nothing else mattered.


	4. Chapter 4

It was nearing dawn, and he was still somehow awake. Maybe it was because he couldn't get his mind off the girl sleeping next to him. He ran his hand down her bare back, memorizing each touch, each feeling that soared in his heart. His fingers danced lightly to the nape of her neck to the crevice of her breasts and came to rest atop her stomach.

She shifted in her sleep, turning towards him. He smiled lightly, pushing loose curls away from her angelic face. He knew it was wrong; starting a relationship with the nanny, but it wasn't like that. He wasn't the typical Upper East Sider and he never would be. He despised the way fidelity was treated so lightly and it wasn't going to be that way with her. He would never do that to her; not to his Serena.

He chuckled to himself as he played with a strand of her hair. Already he was considering her as a girlfriend, but then again, why wouldn't he? After all, the feelings he held for her far surpassed anything he had felt before. His attention turned to her as she moved again, her head falling easily onto his chest. A contented sigh escaped her lips and her eyes fluttered as she bordered between sleep and consciousness.

"Go back to sleep," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

"No," she protested sleepily, eyes opening. "Claire's going to be up anyway."

"I'll take care of it."

"You're paying me."

He rolled his eyes, even half awake, she could still argue with him. "Go back to sleep."

She smiled up at him and she yawned again. "Make me."

"You're so immature."

"You love me," she shot back, not realizing the intent of the words until she saw the look on his face.

He stroked her soft cheek, reveling in the faint blush. "Maybe." His fingers traced her lips and he watched in slight amusement as she bit his index finger. "Serena," he murmured, his lips descending on hers. "would you like to go on a date with me?"

"What about Claire?"

He chuckled, knowing that he picked the right girl. "Nate and Blair have been dying to babysit."

"Are you sure you want to be seen with me?" She asked teasingly, but he knew that deep down, she was scared and embarrassed for him.

"Is it impossible for you to be my nanny and date me at the same time?"

"What if everyone thinks I'm sleeping with you for money?"

"As long as it isn't true, who cares? I certainly don't." His lips reached her neck and he kissed his way down her throat, feeling every gasp, every sigh. "You still have to give me an answer."

"Of course I will, Mr. Humphrey," she murmured and he grinned, capturing her lips with his.

--

"Nate, you know Blair has been dying to see Claire." Dan sat in his study, tapping his pen on the table as he talked to Nate.

"At least tell me who the girl is." Nate protested.

"How about I tell you after?"

A sigh came from the receiver as Nate gave in. "You can bring her around 7 and pick her up at 9. God, you better tell me who it is after."

Dan chuckled, shaking his head. "Thanks man. I owe you."

"Hell yeah. Hey, I'll see you later, Blair needs help with something. Later."

Just as Dan hung up the phone, the door to his study opened and Serena entered, looking more ravishing than she had before, if that was possible. "Hey you"

He stood up, making his way over to her. He kissed her gently, his arms wrapping around her. "Hey."

"That's a way better greeting than mine," she giggled, resting her hand on his cheek. "So are we staying in tonight or are we taking Claire with us?"

"We, as in the two of us, are going out, like I said before. And Claire is going to be babysat by my friends until tomorrow morning." He smiled at her, kissing her again. "Unless you don't want to go."

"What should I wear?" She grinned, slipping her arms around him as their lips met again.

"Does it matter? I'm sure you'll look amazing anyway."

"Yes it matters, Mr. Humphrey. I don't want to show up at an upscale restaurant wearing jeans."

He chuckled, lips brushing across her forehead. "Fine, how about this? I pick something out for you and you can get ready while I run off some errands."

"You're leaving?" She asked, her perfect lips formed in a pout.

"I have a job, remember? Which I've been happily ditching to spend time with you and Claire." He smiled, one hand caressing her cheek. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. "I'll be back at six, I promise."

"Okay, what about Claire? Do you want me to drop her off?"

"No, I'll do it." He smiled, running his fingers through her hair. "Now I just have to invade your closet."

"No going through my lingerie," she murmured, giggling.

--

Dan stood in front of his door, feeling a bit ridiculous. It was his own house and he was a bit nervous about going inside. Exhaling slowly, he opened the door slowly, only to find Serena on the other side, clad in the red dress he had chosen for her. "Damn."

"Is that for getting caught sneaking in or the way I look?" She giggled, pulling him closer by his jacket.

"Definitely for the way you look." He grinned, kissing her. "And you smell so good."

She giggled, her laugh music to his ears. "Okay, go get dressed Tiger."

He reached in his jacket pocket, handing her a red rose. "As you wish." He gave her another kiss before bounding the hallway, a spring in his step. He came out of his bedroom minutes later, wearing a black suit, his tie clumsily done.

She giggled and took a step towards him, fixing his tie. "There, all better." At his questioning look, she added, "Charm school."

"There is so much I don't know about you," he chuckled, opening the door for her. "After you."

She smiled, heels clicking lightly against the floor as she made her way out. He followed after her, locking the door behind him.

--

After a brief car ride, they were tucked into a quiet corner of an upscale Italian restaurant, both wary of the paparazzi that lurked outside. "So," Dan said, after the hostess had left them. "I don't know if I've told you this, but you look incredible."

"Thanks," she blushed as his hand took hold of hers. "You look pretty great too."

"Hello, my name is Dana and I will be your server today. Are you ready to order?" A curvy brunette stood in front of their table, eyes focused on Dan.

"Do you mind if I order for you?" He asked.

"No, go ahead."

"A bottle of Dom Perignon '95 to start off, please. An order of the Miso Glazed Shrimp, Spaghetti Al' Amatriciana for two, and lastly the salmon for the lady and I'll have the grilled swordfish."

"Is that all?" The waitress purred at Dan.

"Yes, thank you."

"If there's anything _else _you need, don't hesitate to ask." She said, one hand casually grazing his shoulder as she turned to leave.

Serena stifled a giggle as Dan raised his eyebrows, unsure of what to say. "Um, I don't, uh,"

She giggled, her hand gripping his forearm lightly. "Its okay, after all, you are very handsome."

"This doesn't happen often, mind you." He chuckled as Dana returned with the champagne. They waited patiently as she continued to flirt with Dan, her words getting as suggestive as they could to a professional extent.

Serena raised her glass, biting her lip. "I guess its going around that you date the help."

"Can I fire you?" He joked, clinking his glass with hers. "To you."

"To us."

He smiled, watching as the champagne flowed down her throat, arousing him. "So, tell me about you."

"What is it that you don't already know?"

"Well I know that you're a great nanny and an even greater kisser, and I know bits and pieces of your past, your favorite color is blue, you love hot chocolate, and you miss your family." He took a sip of his champagne and continued. "I know there's a lot about you I should know."

"How about this, you tell me all about your family and your past and then I'll tell you about mine." She proposed, tracing the rim of her glass.

"Alright then. Well I grew up here, and I went to St. Jude's like every other little Upper East Side boys. My mother dressed me until I hit middle school, I was all khakis and sweater vests before then." She chuckled at the thought of him as a little boy. "My father, um, he was busy a lot and I never really spent time with him. He was an investor and he always had these business deals so he never had time for me. Which is why, I guess, that my parents only had me. But yeah. So when I got into high school, I was kind of a party boy and kind of the total opposite too. After high school, I went to Yale, which was really good for me. And then I met Natalie, and here I am now."

He paused as Dana showed up again, placing the dish of Miso Shrimp in between them, being careful to lean over Dan as she set his plate down. He dismissed her, annoyed.

"She's starting to bother me." Serena admitted, taking a sip of her champagne.

Dan nodded, sliding over in his booth and patted the spot he had previously occupied. "Come here, maybe she'll stop after she sees that I'm interested in you. And only you."

"You sure?"

"I like blondes, not brunettes." He smiled as she joined him. He draped his arm over her shoulders, and started to feed her the shrimp. "So tell me your story."

"Well I grew up in Southern California, but that didn't stop my mother from sending me to charm school when I hit third grade. I was just like a girl here, doing charity events and debutante balls and whatnot, it was just that we were short on money occasionally. And I had a big family too. Four older brothers and two little sisters, its probably why I'm such a good nanny. Um, I didn't date a lot when I was a teen, but I did get a lot of attention." To that, Dan growled playfully and smiled when she giggled. "I moved to Boston for college and there was one family I started to babysit for because I needed the money and from then, I just sort of let go of college and did what I love; taking care of kids. Then somehow I ended up here, and I met you."

"I hope that's a good thing." He murmured, feeding her a bit of shrimp.

"The greatest. You're just so different from all the guys I've dated. You're rich, but you don't act like money is the greatest thing in the world. I guess you're everything I want in a guy."

"And you are everything I want in a girl." He said, lips brushing hers. "Its been hard," he confessed, looking down at their entwined hands. "Dating, I mean. And not just because of Claire. Its just, I was hurt so badly last time, I don't know, I was kind of scared to let someone in."

"Do you miss her? Natalie? Because its okay if you do."

"No," he looked up, lips curved in a soft smile. "Why would _anyone _miss her when they could have you?"

She rolled her eyes, but pecked him on the lips nonetheless. And then Dana showed up again, a slight frown on her face as she noted the new seating position. She collected the dishes silently, setting their pasta and entrees in front of them and before she turned away, she made sure that Dan caught her wink.

"I think she wants to poison my food." Serena giggled, stabbing warily at the noodles. He chuckled, taking her fork from her. He twirled a strand on the fork, delicately placing it into his mouth.

"Nope, no poison. A bit spicy though so I think that one's mine." At her questioning look, he said, "I come here often. Most of them know me by what I order. And the new ones like Dana, I think, always try to hit on me." He switched plates with her, kissing her lightly on the lips.

Half an hour later, their plates were cleared and the check was delivered- with Dana's phone number inside to further Serena's annoyance. "Come on, I know what will get your mind off of killing the waitress." Dan had whispered in her ear, his arms sliding in an already familiar way around her waist.

"Does it involve kissing you?" She murmured, letting him drape his suit jacket over her shoulders.

"Of course." He smiled, leading her back into the town car from which they arrived in, glad that the paparazzi no longer remained.

--

**Thanks to everyone for all the reviews, they mean so much. Please keep reviewing :)**


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